Forever
by awomanking
Summary: The final installment to the "And then he took it away" and "You can't turn that shit off" trilogy. Takes place many years later, in January 2020


Okay folks, this is the third and final installment to what was supposed to be just a one shot. 1. "And then he took it away" 2. "You can't turn that shit off" and now 3. "Forever" They all take place in the same universe, albeit many years apart, but I think they can all potentially stand on their own if necessary. Anyways, it's been a long month and this 'one shot' kept getting longer and longer and longer. Seriously, it's like 10K words. Who does that?

lita101mat101, Guest, Karla-2724, hhh2018, and of course, PlayTheGame, thank you so very much for reviewing. I use fanfiction as a stress relief, and although this pairing is neglected nowadays, your reviews make my day. Thanks for reading, double thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy.

There's smut. A lot of it. Sorry, it just kinda happened... ya know, like Steph and Paul.

**Forever**

Final to the "And then he took it away" and "You can't turn that shit off" Trilogy

He wasn't supposed to accompany her to the CES Conference. The plan was for him to catch up on paperwork at the office and spend the evenings that she was gone bonding with their daughters. But Paul Levesque missed his wife. He hadn't seen her, in person, for longer than a few hours in over a week. And the two weeks before that had them scarcely together too. Phone calls and FaceTime could only satisfy him for so long. He wanted, needed to be _with _her. In every way. He could tell he was getting crankier by the hour. His assistances and employees scurried away from him, which was unusual, whenever he was apart from his better half for too long.

So really, it was best for business for them to be together. It was a shame he couldn't use his mental health as a tax write off for the private jet. It'd save them millions.

Nevertheless, his prayer was answered in the form of a phone call. Criss Angel was having a show one of the nights of the conference. He'd heard some WWE Superstars would be in Sin City and immediately called Paul. He wanted to bring his son to meet The Game, and maybe even The Fiend, if Paul could swing it for him. Perfect. Yes, he could do that. And he could blame it all on good publicity and a favor for an old friend.

Stephanie required some convincing. She didn't like the girls to be left alone with their nannies longer than needed. So he rallied his eldest daughter into his scheme. She was at the age where he could somewhat explain that husbands need their wives as much as kids needed their mom, and her response was a mixture of finding it cute and also a bit nauseating. Either way, she agreed to put in a good word in exchange for tyrannical authority over her younger sisters while they were away. Bless her little McMahon heart.

As they boarded their plane, he sent up a quick, silent prayer that they wouldn't be returning home to World War III in just a few days. Either way, it would probably be worth it for the chance to just relax. He contemplated all of this as he stored his bags in the overhead carrier.

Stephanie barely spoke to him. Her phone rang incisively while her assistant rattled off questions for his wife to make decisions on with just a second's notice. Waiting for takeoff, he admired her work ethic. She worked harder than anyone he knew, and she managed to look delectable while doing it. Sitting in his seat with his chin resting in his palm, he studied the concentrated look on her face as she multitasked a dozen things at once. The stress of getting everything done before they all had to power off their smart devices appeared in a small knot in the middle of her brows. He even found that attractive.

She was oblivious to his stare. And to the sappy look one of her young assistants was giving him, watching him watch her. But finally, she was forced to stop working. The pilot called for takeoff and everyone took their seats to buckle up. His fingers laced with hers the second she was settled beside him. She didn't look to him but closed her eyes and squeezed his hand when the plane rumbled to life.

"Hey, boss lady," he greeted her quietly. "You're lookin extra hot today."

Stephanie offered him a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. He frowned immediately.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course. Just tired."

"I know," he dragged the word out, tilting his own head back and stretching his legs. "It's gonna be nice getting some sleep."

She scoffed, "For you maybe. I'm going to be up every day for the conference."

"You'll still get to relax afterwards though. No kids to chase after. Vince shouldn't be calling you."

She scoffed again, "I'll be believe that when I see it. It's like he's a got a GPS tracker on me."

"Plus," he ignored her and lowered his voice to a whisper. His fingers twisted with hers gently and his thumb teased her palm, "I'll be here to help you get your mind off things." His tone dripped with seduction.

She smirked and gave a slight roll of her eyes before looking out the window. It wasn't an unusual response, but he sensed, for the second time, that something was off.

"Hey," his hand left hers to take hold of her chin and pivot her face towards him, "Are you mad at me?"

"What? No!" She quickly removed his hand from her face with wide eyes as she looked towards one of the assistants seated a few seats in front of them. The young woman had peaked back at them to see Paul grab her boss's face before snapping her body forward in embarrassment.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Paul," she sounded frustrated.

"You seem… off."

"I'm _fine_. I already said I'm tired."

"I'm picking up a pissed off vibe from you."

"Well now Taniya just saw you grab me, so yes, I'm a bit irritated, Ike."

It was his turn to scoff, "I barely touched you."

A moment of stubborn silence, then he turned to her again.

"So you're not mad?"

"Oh my god, Paul. No. You're _making_ me mad."

"Fine," he pouted. She went to look away, but then, "Prove it."

"What?" He'd said it quickly.

"Prove it," he repeated, his tone leaving no room for misinterpretation. She laughed quietly, looking surprised, and he was happy to finally see humor in her eyes. "Come on."

She looked towards the front of the plane to insure some miniscule amount of privacy before planting a soft kiss onto his lips, "You're insane."

He was. Because she had sat back into her seat and he didn't do the same. He still leaned towards her, propped on his forearm that was resting on the leather armrest between them. He stared expectantly at her.

"What now?" She whispered to him.

"Give me a real one." He let his voice drop several octaves. She looked nervously towards the front of the plane again but the sudden blush in her cheeks told him she would fulfill his request.

He shifted closer to her and turned his body, blocking everyone's view of her should they look back, and allowed her to meet him halfway. Stephanie pressed her lips to his with more force than before. He immediately growled in satisfaction, opening his mouth to allow her tongue to press against his. They teased each other for a few slow seconds before reluctantly breaking apart. He kept his face close to hers, looking at her lips as he spoke.

"I want you to come right back to me after the pre-conference."

She responded by slowly nodding to his statement. Though it sounded more like a demand and her eyes darkened because of it.

In the end, however, she wasn't able to return to him until the evening, jet-lagged and exhausted. Once they landed in Las Vegas, she was whisked away to a grueling three hour pre-conference, followed by interviews with media outlets, and he was free to enjoy himself.

He trained, showered, had lunch in their suite, played a few rounds of blackjack, and got a massage all without being rushed. For the first time in recent memory, no one demanded anything from him. In the late afternoon, he returned to their suite to FaceTime their daughters. Paul was happy to see them in good spirits, moving about the kitchen, getting snacks before sitting to do their homework together. Their caregivers confirmed that the good behavior wasn't just for show. They'd been behaving perfectly.

Smiling, he ended the call and _chose_ to get some work down. He powered up his laptop and answered some emails that had been piling up. Having the ability to work because he wanted to, and not because it was required, made all the difference. He achieved far more than he would have had he not been so relaxed, and only paused once in two hours to make a reservation for dinner.

Stephanie met him at one of their favorite restaurants ten minutes late to the reservation.

"I'm sorry," she said, hastily kissing him before plopping into the seat opposite him.

"Don't be."

They turned their cell phones to silent during dinner. It was wonderful to have each other's full attention. Free to banter and flirt and gush over their children's latest accomplishments without being dragged away to something 'more important.' The thought crossed both of their minds; there was nothing more important than _this_.

For Paul, there was only one, small issue with the meal. It was delicious; both of them broke their ban on carbs. Stephanie chatted to him happily and enjoyed her glass of red wine probably more than his dad jokes. And she looked great, as always. Her clothes, hair, and makeup had stayed remarkably perfect throughout the day. But his wife was _exhausted. _He could see it in the bags under her eyes, the way she seemed to blink slower than usual, and how the delicate fork she held seemed to weigh down her hand.

When they walked back to their room, he wrapped an arm around her waist and enjoyed the feeling of her leaning against him. In the elevator, she snuggled into his chest, arms wrapped around his waist tightly.

"The conference doesn't start until one tomorrow so I should be able to steal a few hours with you. After my radio appearance at eight." The words were mumbled against him.

"Good." He kissed the top of her head. "Either way, you'll be able to sleep properly tonight."

"I was gonna try and sneak in some yoga before the interview."

"I think sleep would do you better. You should go straight to bed when we get into the room and set the alarm for 30 minutes before you have to leave in the morning."

She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. Her arms stayed wrapped around him.

"When I pictured being punished for staying out all day, I really didn't think you'd be sending me to bed."

He chuckled at the mischief in her eyes.

"We can do whatever you want," his fingers raked through her hair. "I just thought you could use some rest."

Stephanie's provocative expression changed to a warm, loving one. She stretched upwards to kiss him deeply. The elevator's doors opened with a ding. Paul peaked open an eye to ensure no one was watching them and allowed her to release his lips at her leisure. Another few slow seconds and she set him free.

"I am really tired," she whispered.

"I know."

His arm flew from around her to stop the doors from closing and she laughed while taking his other hand. Then she led him down the hallway.

"Are you coming to bed with me or do you have work to do?"

"I'm all yours."

"So I get snuggles?"

"You get snuggles."

She flashed him a beaming smile before a door down the hallway opened for a young man to exit. They held their breaths, praying it wasn't a fan, and exhaled at the same time when the stranger simply nodded politely as he passed.

"I really didn't want that to be –" A yawn interrupted her.

"I know," he said, opening the door to their hotel room. "Me either."

Paul let his wife use the suite's bathroom first. He waited patiently for her to shower, shave, braid her hair, complete her skin care routine, and all her other seemingly never ending nighttime rituals. It amazed him that no matter how tired she could be, she seemed to always have the energy to pick and fuss at herself. When she finally entered the bedroom, he threw her an annoyed look that he knew she would take jokingly.

Thinking she might not stay awake long enough for him to return, he bent down to where she was pulling up the covers and kissed her chastely on the mouth.

"I'll be right back."

He was proven correct when he left the bathroom ten minutes later. His wife had shut off the lights and was burrowed into the bed, facing away from him. He knew from her positioning that she was asleep. Careful not to make too much noise, he set his phone charging and climbed in behind her.

Stephanie felt his presence and grunted when he didn't immediately cradle her to him. His responding chuckle was quiet but it carried throughout the silent room as he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head between her shoulder blades. Sleep was just moments away for him too. His final thought of the day occurred when she gripped his hand and moved it up between her right cheek and the pillow. She sometimes slept with the side of her face resting in his palm. He loved it when she did that.

Her iPhone's alarm woke him the next morning. Her hand shot out from beneath the covers to hit snooze. She would do this three more times while nuzzling his neck and mumbling that she should never have agreed to the interview.

"So don't go."

"Oh my God, I can't do that."

"Fuck em."

As usual, his half-joking encouragement to break a commitment propelled her to leave the bed. He dozed off again for an unknown amount of time but cracked open an eye when she kissed the top of his shaved head. He could smell her perfume and the mint of her toothpaste.

"I'll see you later," she whispered.

"Mmm."

He heard the hotel room door click shut behind her and he succumbed to sleep once more. Thirty minutes later, his own alarm rang out and he was up to start the day.

He met some of his NXT crew, along with Windham "Bray Wyatt" Rotunda, at the airport around 9AM. His "kids" were their ever youthful and energetic selves, excited to be in Sin City. It was a nice experience. He fed off their energy, and joked alongside them as they piled into oversized Mercedes-Benz Sprinters that WWE had provided them. Until the evening, they were all to stay together and generate press.

Paul smiled as they passed the Little White Chapel on their way back to the strip. A delicate hand on his thigh interrupted his nostalgia.

"Paul, how many news outlets can we expect?"

One of his new, and of many, NXT publicity assistants, Jade Nordstrom, was a bit too comfortable around him. He had meant to mention it to Regal, and have him set her straight, before he left Stamford. It had slipped his mind.

"At least five. Steph hooked us up."

It was meant to unnerve her, to draw attention to the fact that he was a married man, and a man married to the McMahon heir no less, and that he was her boss, and that maybe tapping his thigh wasn't the most appropriate way to get his attention. But Jade doubled down. She smiled, batted her eyelashes, and squeezed his leg for good measure before returning to type furiously on her tablet.

He internally groaned. Jade was young, talented, and easily the hardest working publicity assistant NXT had. She was fresh out of college and very easy on the eyes. There was no doubt that she was well on her way to success.

But she was also well on her way to getting fired.

Paul didn't have the time, or the patience, to deal with things like this. She liked him. He got that. He didn't become Triple H without a bit of an ego. He knew he was attractive and powerful and dare he think it, good to work for. Jade was not the first underlying to openly enjoy his attention. But she was the first to have the guts, or the stupidity, to pursue more of it. If he was in the same room as her, she was right by his side. If he made a joke, she laughed loudest. If they were in a crowded room, she purposely spoke softly so that he'd have to lean in closer to hear her.

She started her position in June, and begun directing her attention to him a few months later. A confrontation was well over due. But not today. He had told himself this would be a stress-free weekend.

Stephanie was already in the conference hall when team NXT arrived. She was chatting with a FOX executive that he recognized and her face lit up at the sight of him. Then she looked to his left and assessed Jade. Her eyes changed immediately as she was looking at herself in miniature. The young assistant's hair was just a shade darker than Stephanie's, her eyes were a similar piercing blue, and she was full-figured although a bit shorter.

After all their years together, Paul still got off on "banging the bosses daughter." Vince could be unbelievably difficult to work for, and there were days that he swore he couldn't stand the old man. So on those days, when he went home, he took extra pleasure in having sex with his wife.

But then there were times, like in the current moment, when being married to Vince McMahon's daughter seemed like the dumbest decision he'd ever made, and not directly because of Vince. But because of the princess herself. Stephanie _was_ Vince. She was aggressive, cocky, emotional, funny, protective, and everything else. She had made her ability to mask her insecurities behind the McMahon persona into an art form. And she could flicker through emotions rapidly behind the mask. Her tantrums, though much less frequent from her on-screen character were just as thunderous. More than anything however, Stephanie had inherited her father's eyes. They _changed_. Though hers were a sparkling blue, they could change to ice, just like Vince's. It was unbelievable creepy.

Immediately, his wife's eyes were frozen onto NXT's youngest assistant. They were cold and calculating. She remained glaring while he walked across the large room towards her, though a fake smile was plastered on her face.

"Honey," she shifted her gaze at his greeting. He didn't understand how she was already irritated with him.

"Charles, you've met my husband."

She gestured between the two men so they would shake hands and exchange pleasantries. And then her hawkish stare returned to Jade who had annoyingly followed him. Paul made small talk with the executive before politely excusing himself and Stephanie. Taking her arm, he steered her away from where cameras were being set up.

He pointedly ignored Jade trailing behind them. No need to introduce them. The girl wouldn't be working for him too much longer.

"Me and Bray are gonna meet Criss and his kid before the show tonight. Do you have your VIP pass on you?"

"Yes."

"Okay, Bray's not sticking around for the show so it'll just be us." He said it with a small smirk while looking her up and down, trying to soothe her ego.

She blushed immediately and rolled her eyes. The tension eased just a bit.

"What are you wearing?"

"Jeans. Casual. I don't care. I refuse to do anything business related after this."

She laughed, "Okay, I'll dress accordingly."

"Yes, do that. Wear nothing, in fact." He elevated his voice a bit because they were parting, and her eyes went wide. She tried to silently scold him but her attention was quickly required elsewhere.

They both conducted small interviews and helped the newer talent get comfortable around the reporters for the better part of two hours. Agents, assistants, and management scurried around the hall, being useful wherever possible. When all was said and done, the WWE product was well represented and the word was out that for another consecutive year, WWE Corporate and Superstars were partaking in the CES Conference.

"So I'll see you later?" She jumped, as he was suddenly close behind her.

"Yes," she answered, smacking his chest.

"Good cause you owe me some –"

"Paul!" The high-pitched call came from a bit away. The girl had balls. He had to give her that.

"What's up, Jade?" She was beside him before he finished asking.

"I forgot to tell you! The guy from NXT UK called. He wants to set up a video conference for the end of each month."

"Yeah, I know. I spoke to him this morning," He was being short. She looked confused by how he got the information. So he added, "Vlad told me."

The young woman did not have his wife's experience or talent in hiding emotions. Her annoyance, and likely jealousy, of being beaten to deliver information to him was written clearly on her face. He smiled a bit vindictively. Stephanie had stiffened beside him and he saw an opportunity.

"By the way, Jade, have you met Steph?"

With his hand on his wife's lower back, he pushed her gently to greet the assistant.

"Hello," said Stephanie with an outstretched hand.

"Oh my God, hi! It's an honor to meet you Mrs. McMah –"

"Levesque, actually. McMahon's for the TV." There was no bite to her tone. She sounded cordial, even friendly. She was Vince McMahon's daughter through and through.

"Yes, of course. Thank you so much for setting this up for us. Paul here does great, but sometimes we need the big guns." It was an odd statement that concluded with a giggle. He'd never seen Jade behave so awkwardly.

She was intimidated.

"Oh, I'm sure you would've managed just fine. He picks a good team."

"Right. Thank you!" She turned to her boss, "I'm going to make sure our flights are all set for tomorrow. It was a pleasure meeting you Mrs. Mc – I mean Mrs. Levesque."

Jade pointed behind her before scurrying away. Paul turned to Stephanie but she didn't break her attention from Jade's retreating form. A moment and then a tiny smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth, her eyes turned to ice again. He looked over to see that Jade had turned to look back at him once more. He knew instantly his wife had just been proven right about something in her head. She had that look. And he was sure he knew what she was thinking.

He fought the urge to stomp his feet. This was supposed to be a relaxing weekend.

"She's pretty."

Here we go.

He shrugged like an idiot.

"You know she's hot, Paul."

His mouth opened to reply but another executive approached to talk to them. Before he knew it, it was time to leave her again and go with his team. He politely excused himself and her from the conversation.

More quietly than necessary, he said, "Text me when you're out of the conference."

"Okay." He took a step away from her. But then, "Paul," she let his name trail off. He met her eyes, "Be careful with her." And she tilted her head towards where Jade stood across the hall.

He was unnerved. Stephanie didn't look irritated, and her eyes weren't cold. They were concerned and her expression was nervous.

"Steph –" he started softly.

"Stephanie," interrupted one of her own assistants, "We have 15 minutes to get back to the Bellagio."

"Alright let's go," She looked to him again. "I'll see you later."

She walked away to leave him brooding. He had anticipated his wife's irritation with Jade. She could very possessive of him. But they were crazy for each other. They always had been. There had never been anyone that even remotely came close to interfering with that. He hadn't expected her to feel threated. And he supposed that he didn't know for sure if that's how she felt. But her words of caution, telling him to be careful… worried him.

Did she really think he would do that to her?

For the rest of the day, he was aggravated. Escorting the NXT team to the concierge was supposed to be fun. He had predicted there would be fans hanging around and they were. Eager faces of all ages dying to take a picture with some Superstars and, of course, Triple H. He would usually relish in it. It had been him to suggest they check in at such a busy time. But now he felt claustrophobic. He wanted everyone away from him as soon as possible.

And he wanted his wife. They needed to talk. He couldn't have her walking around, doubting him. It ate him alive to think that she was upset.

Eventually, finally, the fan photos died down. He and Bray were driven privately to meet Criss and his son. Guilt forced Stephanie to the back of his mind at the sight of the bald little boy, jumping up and down to meet The Game and the The Fiend. The hour he spent distracting the child from his illness was thus far the best of his day. When departing, he and Bray promised to return, and waved off Criss's excessive words of thanks.

Back at the hotel, he FaceTimed his daughters as soon as the door clicked shut, suddenly needing to see them, speak to them, and tell them he loved them more than anything. He was always grateful for his life. But spending time with sick children always surged his gratefulness for his daughters' existences and health.

At the end of the call, he showered, scoffed down some room service, and dressed. He knew Stephanie would return and do the same before meeting him at the show. But he couldn't wait for her. He had one more commitment. Thankfully, it required no cameras so he was free to lose the monkey suit. A young talent from Nevada was meeting him and Matt Bloom to discuss a possible development contract. Paul was certain he could show up in ring trunks and it wouldn't matter. He'd heard the kid was a Triple H fan.

It went well. They were both impressed with the young man's professionalism and were happy to offer a contract. And he was off again. The day's whirlwind finally stopped with Criss's show at 9PM. He waited a bit impatiently for his wife to join him. His thoughts from earlier were swirling in his head once more. Had her female intuition just startled her? Or did she think he was cheating? Did she feel threatened? Had she felt threatened before? Maybe they should relook at their schedule. Maybe he should be nervous about her. Maybe they really did spend too much time apart nowadays. What if she wasn't happy? The rollercoaster of doubts didn't stop when the lights dimmed to announce that the show would begin soon.

The anxiety morphed into irritation. He needed her there to calm him. They could talk later. What was taking her so long?

Ten seconds before the show started, she snuck into the seat beside him and he fought the urge to snap at her for no reason. Her lips on his cheek heightened his annoyance.

"Sorry."

Pyro startled them. The lights went out and the show was on. Instead of laying into her for no reason, he settled for gripping her thigh. His hand stayed there for the entire presentation. His grip was firm and possessive until half way through when she rested her hand on his. Her touch was gentle and it slowly relaxed his muscles and mind.

Afterwards, they made a quick appearance backstage, took some photos with Criss, and _tweeted_. Paul was done with the day. He'd had enough of obligations, and while his magician friend always thrilled, he really just wanted to go back to his room with his wife. It wasn't personal.

When things finally settled down, they headed back to their hotel. There were some wrestling fans in the lobby. Stephanie stalled a bit to smile and wave, but he wasn't having it. Taking her by the hand, he pulled her along so that they made it to the elevator without taking a single photo with anyone. The compartment doors had slid shut for a millisecond before his lips were on hers.

It was an awkward kiss. Her smile made it a bit difficult to navigate, but with a gentle push, her back was against the wall and her mouth opened to let his tongue in. One hand in her hair and the other on her waist, he lost himself in the feel of her. She was a bit more aware and pushed him off of her when the elevator stopped to let a group of people join them. They backed up to make room, and she jumped when his hand palmed her ass.

"We'll literally be there in one minute," she whispered.

"I've waited long enough."

Stephanie tried to silently scold him, but it was pointless. He saw her eyes darken at his words. He gave her a firm squeeze before skimming up her body to the back of her neck. While they waited to reach their floor, he kneaded out a few knots. She was tenser than he had ever known her to be; tense, tired, and stressed. She was burnt out. He knew it the previous evening. And he could feel it in her body.

A ding. Finally. The excused themselves past another couple and he led her down the hall by the hand. She was tired but not sleepy and there was no calming his libido anymore.

She kissed him as soon as they were alone in their room. It was passionate, but with no rush. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies as they backed further into the room, not parting for a second. Soft, Italian leather jackets covered both of them. They loved the feel. It was their thing. And they were in Vegas. Everything was perfect.

Paul felt her toe out of her heels but didn't break his hold on her mouth. She pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and he groaned when her teeth sunk into his bottom lip. He kicked off his shoes as well before grabbing the back of her thighs and hoisting her into the air. Her arms and legs wrapped around him instinctively, a soft moan leaving her as she did so. He carried her to the bed as easily as he ever had, taking the opportunity to grope her behind again as he did so.

Tightening her legs around him, she moved her arms to shake out of her jacket, tossing it carelessly to the floor. Their lips and tongues twisted together all the while, heart rates elevating as he gently lowered her onto the bed.

He broke from her to pull his t-shirt over his head. In the midst of unbuckling his pants, he saw her move to undress too so he stopped his movements to pull her clothes from her body first. It was one of his favorite things to do. When she was down to her bra and panties, his mouth went to her neck, kissing and licking her. Stephanie helped push down his pants and briefs while he toed off his socks.

Though he had meant to continue undressing her, her hand on his shaft was distracting. He gasped at the contact and his mouth returned to hers when she steadily pumped him. He had already been stiffening; her fingers sent the remainder of his blood rushing to the area. His tip swelled from the attention.

He was dizzy for a moment. The sensation paralyzing him as he kneeled on the bed, back hunched over her from the pleasure. She lay beneath him, propped up by a hand as the other gripped him. Her head tilted backwards at the force of his mouth on hers, lips vibrating as he moaned into her. When her hand lowered to massage his balls, he came to his senses and broke away from her.

Paul made a quick work of unhooking her bra and peeling her thong down her legs. Fighting a smile, his eyes danced at the sight of a dark puddle in the middle of the red garment before kissing her again with more urgency. He lowered her onto her back, her legs opening for him to settle between. Massaging a breast, he rolled the hard bud at the center between his fingers and coaxed a series of sighs from her.

Stephanie shifted to align their hips, to encourage him to enter her but he denied the action with a firm hold on her breast and waist. Again, he moved to her neck, smothering it with wet kisses.

"Paul," she breathed, tugging his manhood towards her.

"No," he groaned into her neck, mouth then moving down her body. He kissed, licked, and nipped his way down her front, stopping for a nipple and her navel on the way down. "I'm not done kissing you."

Her gasp was loud as he dove to her center, not bothering to tease her. He pulled her clit into his mouth like it was her tongue and kissed her there with passion. His hands moved down her sides, still feeling the tension he recognized in the elevator. Not for long.

They were approaching twenty years of marriage. He knew exactly what she liked and how she liked it. He used this information to his advantage always. Working up her core was easy, his tongue massaged circles into the bud while he held down her thighs. She squirmed beneath him, her hands flew to his head, still expecting to tangle in long blonde locks years after he had shaven them. She settled for resting one, encouragingly, on the top of his head. The other gripped the sheets beneath them, twisting her fingers into the fabric as he continued his loving assault.

"Ohh." Her voice was quiet but high pitched. He felt her back arch when his teeth scraped against her most sensitive area. He did it again and savored the sound her mewling aloud again.

Feeling himself getting hotter, he fought to keep from losing control. Paul had missed her. And he wanted to show that to her. Slowly. It had been awhile since he last felt her, even longer without tasting her. It was too long. He felt the anger and annoyance returning.

A fleeting thought of Jade. Of the insecurity she'd brought out in his wife.

He snarled and threw her legs over his shoulders, lowering his mouth to her opening and properly eating her out for minutes. Stephanie's right hand left his head to mirror the other in gripping the sheets. She held on as her devoured her, alternating between using his tongue to fuck her and rolling it against her clit.

Her toes curled with anticipation as her thigh muscles clenched. He tortured her while she tried not to crush his head, her pelvis already grounded up towards his face, silently begging for more. His hands left her thighs, letting them fall onto his forearms as he reached up to interlock their hands. Her fingers twisted against his tightly as he focused solely on her clit.

He sucked it sensually before swirling circles against it with his tongue and he soon lost feeling in his fingers. Her grip was vice-like as the tension built within her. She squeezed tighter and tighter as his tongue applied more pressure and the sounds of her pleasure amplified to match.

"Paul, I can't –"

She was mumbling nonsense. He knew she was going to cum soon. He could feel it. She just never shut up. In every part of his life, she was there babbling beside him. It was a loving thought and he could have laughed had her tone not been so goddamn sexy.

He groaned against her, making her clit vibrate and pushing her right to the edge.

"Shit. I –" A moan followed by a muffled squeal interrupted her. Then, "don't stop."

He had no plans to. She was right there and panting. Her breath hitched every other intake and he wanted to fuck her out of her mind. To erase all doubts of her self-worth and his devotion to her. His lips closed around her clit. Her hips pushed against his mouth one last time and her sounds went silent all at once. He felt her nails dig into the back of his hands. Swirling his tongue continuously, he suckled her at the same time.

Her release was everything he wanted it to be. Her thighs trembled on either side of his head, her stomach shuddered above him, and her drawn-out groan was desperate, sounding like a sob from the pleasure. She took deep, belly breaths trying to control some part of herself but failing. He didn't stop his ministrations, prolonging her release as it shot down to her toes. Paul could feel her feet twitching against his back.

"Fuuuck," she dragged the word out to the ceiling, her eyes closed as she panted. Stephanie was in absolute bliss. A peaceful smiled complimented her rosy checks perfectly.

He kept his mouth attached to her, slowing his tongue but continuing to pleasure her as she shuddered around him. Her moans quieted to content sighs, her grip on his hands loosened, and her legs fell limply to either side of his head. Paul opened his eyes to see that hers were closed, a relaxed expression on her face. His hands moved to her midsection, stroking her sides as he lapped her clean.

When his thirst was satisfied, he pressed soft kisses to her thighs and trailed his lips upwards. He stopped briefly to kiss a small scar at the bottom of her stomach, a mark honoring the childbirth of their youngest daughter. Then he persisted up to her naval, his hands still massaging her. She sighed again, neck arching back, her eyes still closed.

Paul felt a pang of guilt in his chest. Her entire body was limp, sated. The muscles beneath his fingers were loose and her stomach beneath his lips moved evenly as she breathed. When was the last time she was this relaxed? Recent embraces flashed through his mind, hugs exchanged before bed, goodbye kisses at the airport. When was the last time he hadn't felt tension in her body? They'd had sex almost three weeks before. They usually didn't go that long without it. But the past year had been difficult. Their roles in the company were prominent, demanding, and difficult. It separated them, him on one end of the country and her on the other. They switched off being with the kids.

Remembering their last coupling heightened his sense of guilt. She had dropped their daughters off at school and hurried home to see him before he left for the performance center in Florida. They showered together and he took her from behind beneath the falling hot water. He enjoyed it and had made sure she did too. But it was quick, more of a stress release than anything else. They talked about nothing besides work as they dressed and later parted at the front door of their home with speedy 'I love you's.'

His hands left her hips to lift and support his upper body. He didn't want to squish her as he dipped his head to her breasts. She caressed the back of his neck and head as he lavished her nipples with as much attention as he had her clit. Stephanie moaned appreciatively.

He swore he'd never be Vince. He had promised himself that his role as a husband and a father would come before anything else. His family, his girls, would never suffer for his ambitions. Stephanie would not have to wait for his attention or love like she had waited for Vince and Linda growing up. When her parents were out building the empire that they would soon inherit.

Paul kissed up her sternum to her throat and suckled her sweet spot there. He was careful to be gentle and not leave a bruise. She enjoyed his ministrations for a minute before cupping his chin and dragging his mouth up to hers. They kissed each other like they always did in these moments. Passionately and without reservation. Like the whole point of their existence was to kiss each other. Like it was the first time and the last time all rolled into one.

Stephanie cradled him between her hips as they embraced. He shivered when her hands tenderly roamed his body and his erection pressed against her. He lowered himself to feel more of her against him and smiled against her lips when she sighed contently at his actions. They broke apart to smile bashfully at each other. Eyes locked, he raised a hand to stroke her cheek with the back of his fingers.

She whispered, "Thank –"

But he cut her off with another kiss. His wife would _not_ thank him for satisfying her. No wife should, but especially not his. Not after everything she had endured to be with him. Not after bearing him three children. Not after handing him an empire. He consumed her mouth and allowed more of his weight to press down onto her when she began to grind up against him.

Everything else left his mind. His endless responsibilities seemed dull in comparison to his current task. His job, and the shame he felt for making it his first priority as of late, evaporated from his thoughts. His wife was wrapped around him. She felt and smelt and tasted perfect, as she always did. He focused on nothing but taking her pleasure and maximizing it. Being a good husband, in this way, was the greatest joy of his life.

Stephanie's mouth was fully open, allowing his tongue to twist with her own. They stayed connected as he shifted onto his knees, positioning himself to take her. His erection pressed against her entrance and she moaned against his lips. Paul prolonged the experience. Forever obsessed with the vibrations of the sounds she made against him, he teasingly slipped the tip of his member inside of her. Only to withdraw it a second later and then repeat the act. Her arms and legs flexed with anticipated, he internally smiled at his wife beginning to feel a very different type of tension.

He teased her for another moment before she broke their kiss. He lowered his mouth to her ear and nibbled on the lobe, his teeth bumping the large diamond stud attached to it.

"Stop teasing me," she whined. Paul chuckled with happiness, pushed himself further into her, and stopped. He lowered his mouth to her neck again, and was about retort that she was impatient, but then Stephanie whispered, "Please."

He lost it. Thrusting fully into her, he skipped straight to an erotic, rolling rhythm that had her purring. Fingers entwining again, he brought her arms above her head to lower his torso completely on top of hers. Covering her like a blanket, their bodies soon slicked with sweat from the heat and they alternated between kissing and panting into each other's mouths. The effect was a mild form of asphyxiation, neither of them fully catching a breath as pleasure circuited between them. All the while, their hips grinded against each other in perfect union.

When her breaths morphed into desperate gasps, his thrusts quicken and he smiled against her lips when she immediately adjusted to meet his new pace. Ripping his mouth and hands from her, he lifted himself just slightly above her to better the angle. She clawed at his neck, and cried out as he dove deeper, the pleasure she felt written across her face. He watched her with a feral look in his eyes, determined to make her reach new heights. She was almost there.

Paul pulled her right leg up and hooked it over his shoulder. He pushed downward to bend her in half and returned to suckling her neck. Stephanie screamed in pleasure. Her cry screeched into his ear and he loved the pain of it. His thrusts turned frantic. Their sensual rhythm was gone. He was fucking her hard and fast. The pleasure building and building until her legs were shaking and he thought he would pop a blood vessel in his head if they didn't come soon.

Her grip on the back of his neck was visceral, keeping him attached to her from head to toe. He was pounding into her. Their faces red and bodies sweating. Her moans, and the sounds of him smacking against her, echoed off of the walls. Any occupants of the hotel room beside theirs could hear everything, but they were oblivious to the fact. Paul's thrusts continued on and his own pleasure heightened beyond control. He moaned into the crook of her neck, his balls tightening to prepare for release.

Stephanie was already there. Her walls tensed against him, ready to join him in falling over the edge. But he wanted to split her apart, to erase any doubt of his loyalty from her mind… ever. And he knew she couldn't handle his voice in bed. So he used it.

Into her ear he growled, "Come on, baby. Cum for me."

She was fucking helpless when he did that. His words ripped her orgasm from her body immediately. Her teeth latched onto his shoulder, biting down hard to keep from screaming again. Mouth and arms locked onto him, her spine arched into his movements, pushing her pelvis flush against his as her legs spasmed from the pleasure.

The pain of her biting him mixed deliciously with the feeling of her shuddering beneath him. He pushed into her one more time before he groaned loudly into her neck. Her walls milked him for everything he had, contracting rhythmically around his dick as it pulsed. He collapsed on top of her, allowing her leg to fall and wrap loosely around his hip. Their faces buried against each other's shoulders and his manhood deep inside of her, they came down from their highs. It took several minutes to control their breathing as the aftershocks of their orgasms twitched where they remained joined at the hip. The fading pleasure was therapeutic as both husband and wife felt healthier than they had in weeks.

Stephanie's nails gently scratched the back his neck while they recovered. Paul gave a small grunt at the gesture. He didn't always want to cuddle after sex, but he _loved _when she did that. Lifting slightly, they made eye contact through heavy lids, soft smiles mirroring each other. Stephanie framed his face before raising her head just enough to kiss him. It was a soft, loving kiss. He would be embarrassed if anyone ever heard the quiet moan that left him as her lips pressed to his. He didn't move away when she parted from him so she pecked his lips gently twice more.

Satisfied, he rolled onto his back beside her. Turning their heads to face each other, they laughed softly at the look on their partner's face. Red cheeks, glossy eyes, and stupid smiles matched perfectly. He held her hand between them while they both laughed and then brought her fingers up to his lips. She watched him with a small smile before her lower lip jutted out in feigned sadness.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," she was looking at his shoulder. Her teeth were indented into his skin; an ugly purple color already covered the area. She rolled towards him, her fingers leaving his to skim over the teeth marks. She cringed when she felt them, "Jesus. I won't –"

"Shhh," he whispered, "I liked it."

She looked to him for reassurance. He confirmed that he spoke the truth with a small smile and a nod. Stephanie didn't protest but pressed a gentle kiss to his wound before rolling onto her back again. Paul watched her all the while. She relaxed into the mattress with a happy sigh and closed her eyes to enjoy the moment.

He admired her looks, enjoying his own post coital moment. But as the seconds ticked away, so did his bliss. He was satisfied, beyond so. And he was immensely proud to have pleased his wife. But his concerns for her well-being, and their relationship, were returning now that his heart rate was steadying.

"You're doubting me," he said quietly.

Stephanie opened her eyes and looked to him questioningly, but he didn't elaborate.

"What?"

"_You're _doubting _me. _After all this time." He emphasized his words but didn't raise his voice, trying to keep her in a calm, relaxed state.

"Paul, what the fuck are you talking about?" She sounded half amused, still in a daze.

"Earlier, with Jade."

Rolling her eyes and looking towards the ceiling, she looked annoyed but her voice was calm and sounded humorous when she said, "You are _not _ruining this for me right now."

He shifted onto his side, closer to her and looked down into her eyes.

"You really think I'd do that to you?" He was gravely serious.

"No, Paul," But she paused. Looking away from him, he could tell she was conflicted. "It's me. I've been feeling insecure lately. I don't know why. I just feel tired and… old." Her eyes crossed at the word.

Her husband smiled sympathetically.

"Steph, you are –"

"I know," she smiled flirtaciously when he appeared annoyed at the interruption, knowing he was about to start a list of compliments. "You haven't done anything. It's me."

He stayed silent for a moment, watching an internal conflict rage in her eyes as she looked again to the ceiling. He could all but hear her thoughts and they didn't quiet when his hand rested on her stomach, thumb rubbing comforting circles into her skin.

"I'm gone every week, Steph. I don't want you worrying about this. I would never do that. I thought you knew –"

But an incredulous expression had contorted her features and he stopped abruptly. She shook her head at him.

"I do know that but," her eyes widened, "Come on."

"What?" He was starting to get annoyed.

"When I'm not here, how many women throw themselves at you? Hmm? How many are half my age?"

He wanted to deny it. But he never lied to her. Especially not in moments like this. People were perverse. The world was warped. Though he knew this, he was still horrified that now that he was older, married, and with a beautiful, public family, women seemed to want him more than ever. His status as a successful, married businessman attracted more sure-things than his wresting boots ever did. It. Was. Fucked.

"Exactly," she answered his silence.

"I'm sure you have plenty of men falling at your feet when I'm not around."

"That's not the point. And no, not really. Not as much as you. You benching 400 pounds on Instagram tends to scare people away."

He smirked cockily, "Good."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're eyes are gonna get stuck like that if you don't stop."

She did it again for good measure, and he kissed her cheek.

"I would never –"

"I know you _think_ you would never, Paul, but –"

"I _know _–"

"That's a lot of temptation to have right at your fingertips, and you're never home –"

"You're hotter than any of these girls –"

"And they're so _young_ and _fit_ and –"

"You're out of your mind."

"Jade's beautiful. Don't even deny it."

"She's 21 years old."

"Her body's perfect. She's exactly your type."

"She closer to Rory's age than mine."

"And her boobs are real. Which is just ridiculous," She looked again to the ceiling, irritated with God.

"You think I'd fuck a child?" His temper was rising but she didn't notice.

"She's perfectly legal and my dad slept with an intern that was two years younger than me."

"I AM NOT YOUR FATHER."

Stephanie's eyes snapped to his. His voice boomed throughout the quiet room and he shifted to prop himself higher above her. She looked up into his face, not intimidated but concerned. He lowered his voice.

"I don't want you _ever _thinking that. I would never do that to you or our family."

His forehead was frowned, and he looked every bit the frightening professional wrestler that he was. But all his wife saw was the sadness in his eyes. She reached up to stroke his cheek.

"I know. I'm sorry. I told you this was me going crazy."

"You told me to be careful with Jade. You're not crazy, you're worried. I don't want you ever worrying about that."

"I can't help it. I'm just going through some stuff right now. It's hard getting older," he nodded in agreement, "and I see the way these women look at you."

Paul closed his eyes and shook his head gently. Stephanie took the opportunity to pull his face down to hers. She placed repeated, soft kisses on his lips until he pulled away a moment later with a tiny smile.

"All these years, Steph, the things we've been through, the people we've lost," emotion choked him. She blinked away the sudden tears in her eyes. "Do you know what is still the worst moment of my life?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat and anticipated the answer.

"Telling you that I didn't love you. Having you think that I didn't care. You not knowing that you're the most important thing in this world to me."

Her hand left his cheek to rub the tears from her eyes.

"Paul –"

"I love you, Stephanie. Even when I'm mad at you. Even when I'm thousands of miles away. Even when there's two slutty chicks waiting to take me up to their hotel room."

"TWO?"

He was deadly serious but the horrified expression on her face made him laugh. Her tears seemed to dry instantly.

"I'm hot shit, babe."

Her own laughter was muffled by his chest. He pulled her to him, laying them back down in each others arms. They stayed silent for a moment, him stroking her arm and her twisting a finger in his beard.

"Now if _you_ were one of the hot chicks waiting to take me up –"

"You really need to let this threesome fantasy go. It's not happening."

"I don't understand why you're so against it."

"We were just talking about how I'm nervous about all these hoes around you and you really wanna bring this up? Again? It's been almost twenty years, Paul, let it go."

"Did you really just use the word hoes?"

"And your dick has literally been in me in every way that it can be. Which is more than most husbands can say about their wives so really you shouldn't be so greedy."

"I'm gonna get hard again if you keep talking like that."

"I think it's really cute that you think you can get it up already. Jade's 21, baby, not you."

"Now you're just being mean."

She laughed against him so he continued, "Hurt people hurt people. I get it now. You're feeling down so you gotta bring me down."

Her giggles persisted and he joined her laughter, hugging her even closer to him. This was paradise, being this comfortable and close together. Hidden away in a warm bed with all responsibilities locked outside of the room wasn't something they got to experience very often anymore. Stephanie felt a surge of appreciation for the moment, and her husband, and began placing quick kisses along his chest, neck, and face. Smothering him in affection in a similar way that she often did their children. He squirmed happily when her pecks tickled him. She lifted herself a bit to stare into his eyes, caressing his face once more.

"We should do this more often," she said. "Just the two of us. Maybe I wouldn't be thinking so crazy if I had more time with you."

They stared lovingly at each other. Both knowing that despite their intentions, they probably wouldn't have alone time like this for a while. Paul stroked her bare back comfortingly anyways.

"Ya know, we'd probably get to do this more often if you hadn't filled our home with those little cockblockers."

She burst into laughter again and playfully smacked his chest, "Don't call our children that! And I did not fill our home with them! You played just a big a role in that as I did."

"WHO wanted three?"

"YOU wanted more than three, you psycho!"

He fake pouted, "I still think four is a nice even number."

"Oh my –"

"I'm kidding!" They laughed some more until he cupped her cheek and deepened their gazes. The atmosphere remained peaceful, but seriousness had settled over him.

"I don't think I could handle sharing you any more than I already do," Her lips stretched into a grin at his whisper. "Please try and remember how obsessed I am with you whenever you're feeling doubtful. Proving people right," she hung onto his every word, "having them throw in your face that everything they said was true. That I used you and this was all a ploy to get what I wanted," he paused again, shaking his head, disgusted at the mere thought of it. His voice was low and strained, "Steph, I'd fucking kill myself before I ever did that to you."

Despite the dramatics, she knew his words were true. He didn't make false promises. And not since the day he'd denied his feelings all those years ago, had he ever lied to her. She kissed him passionately. As always, hardly believing she'd gotten so lucky as to have this man to herself.

Against his lips, she mumbled, "I love you more than anything."

He tightened his grip on the back of her head, ready to deepen the kiss, "Forever, babe."

She had joked that he wouldn't be able to go again so quickly. But he was addicted to his wife, more and more each day of their lives. He soon pulled her on top of him and they were in each other's arms again until sunrise.


End file.
